Tucked into the rolling hills of Paso Robles, the Pasolivo Ranch Tasting Room welcomes guests to explore the 150-acre estate and sample their estate-grown olive oils.

If you’re planning a wine tasting weekend in Paso Robles, be sure to carve out time for a different type of tasting experience – olive oil tasting. Like wine, olive oils vary widely in flavor, influenced by the olive variety, ripeness, terroir and more. Olive oil tasting is the best way to discover all that California olive oil has to offer – and Pasolivo is ready to guide you through it.

Meet the Olive Oil Expert: Marisa Bloch Gaytan

Pasolivo general manager and a level two sommelier, Marisa Bloch Gaytan led our tour and tasting. She’s been with Pasolivo for the last thirteen years and her passion for olive oil is unmistakable.

When we asked her why, she didn’t hesitate to answer: “I love the health benefits of olive oil. I’ve always had a passion for cooking, but never really thought too much about olive oil. Then, when I started working here, seeing what olive oil I had in my cabinet, compared to what we’re producing here, was an eye-opener for sure.”

What makes Pasolivo Olive Oils unique? 

Pasolivo’s Ranch Tasting Room is set on 130 acres in the Paso Robles hills, studded with over 7000 olive trees. Pasolivo grows 12 different types of olives, allowing them to mix and match flavor profiles to create a wide variety of incredible extra virgin olive oils and flavored oils.

Almost famous: Pasolivo’s Paso estate was once owned by Hollywood producer King Vidor, best known for creating the black and white scenes from The Wizard of Oz – including the iconic tornado sequence!

All of the olives used to create Pasolivo olive oils are handpicked. This is partially because the trees are young, but also due to the challenges of harvesting on a hillside. Marisa laughs, recalling, “We tried the mechanical rakes but our orchard is too hilly and it was a mess!”. 

Pasolivo uses a mix of green and black olives to produce its award-winning olive oils. Marisa explains, “We like a balance of each. The green olives give it the nice bitterness you’re looking for, and the black provide a bit more of the buttery flavor.” Within 24 hours of harvest, all olives are milled onsite to guarantee the best flavor and freshest olive oil. Marisa proudly adds, “Nothing leaves the property until we’re done bottling it and it’s going home with our consumers.” 

The commitment to quality even extends to their packaging. Pasolivo’s signature painted black bottles aren’t just beautiful; they help protect the precious olive oils from light, extend their shelf life, and preserve delicate flavors.

What’s the difference between green and black olives? 

Green and black olives aren’t necessarily different varieties – the color indicates that the olive has been left to ripen longer on the tree. The flavors are different, too. Black olives are often described as rich and buttery, whereas green olives have more of a bitter, briny taste. 

What to expect at an olive oil tasting?

Olive oil tasting is an educational experience. At Pasolivo, guests sample a variety of extra virgin olive oils and flavored olive oils. During a typical guided tasting, a sommelier explains how olive oil is made, addresses the many health benefits of olive oil, and then delves into how to use olive oil at home. Olive oils are paired with vinegar, salt, spices and artisanal food products so that guests will better understand how to incorporate different types of olive oil into their daily lives – and menus! 

Olive oil myths debunked!

During a tasting, Marisa often addresses how to cook with and store olive oil properly. Here are her responses to two of the most frequently asked questions. 

Can you cook with olive oil? 

Marisa is eager to debunk the myth that olive oil can’t withstand heat. She enthuses, “High-quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a higher smoke point than most people think. We get our oils lab tested as part of our extra virgin certification and our oils can go up to about 420 degrees before hitting their smoke point. As long as you’re not heating olive oil past its smoke point, it won’t break down those components or the health benefits it gives you. Marisa frowns, adding, “I don’t recommend deep frying, but it’s an excellent oil to cook with – you’re gonna get all those health benefits. So, if you’re sauteing, baking, or marinating a steak, it’s wonderful to use olive oil.”  

Should you refrigerate olive oil?

Marisa points out another common misconception regarding how olive oil should be stored. She notes, “People think they can refrigerate their olive oil, but I always recommend against that, because the olive oil will solidify. As you take it out and put it back in, that breaks down the olive oil’s natural components.”

Pasolivo’s commitment to sustainability

Like many California farmers and producers, Pasolivo employs several sustainable processes in the orchard and the mill. Marisa elaborates, “Sustainability is really important for our company. Our milling process is a zero-waste process – all of the water gets tested before it’s reapplied to the land. All of the paste gets spread out as a natural fertilizer, which is really good for the soil. We also promote sustainability with our packaging, making sure that everything is one hundred percent recyclable. 

Why is Paso Robles a great place to make olive oil? 

If you’re familiar with wine, you’ve probably heard the term “terroir”. Simply put, terroir is the entirety of the growing environment – climate, soil and topography. Marissa explains that Paso’s unique terroir is precisely why olives grow so well in the region. She states, “Paso Robles’ terroir is similar to Italy and Spain (two countries renowned for their olive oils). The fact that the soil is really great, we have those warm summers, a little bit of that rainy season… it really helps with olive production.” 

Where to buy Pasolivo Olive Oil

Ready to experience the Pasolivo difference? Pasolivo olive oil, vinegar, olives, honey, and bath + body products can be ordered online at Pasolivo.com or purchased at one of their two tasting rooms. 

Plan your visit to Pasolivo

Next time you’re near the Central Coast, plan to visit one of Pasolivo’s two tasting rooms. Reservations can be made online or by calling 805-226-8800.

Ranch Tasting Room 8530 Vineyard Drive, Paso Robles, CA 93446 Open daily: 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Downtown Tasting Room 1229 Park Street,  Paso Robles, CA 93446 Open Sunday: 10:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm

Delicious ways to enjoy Pasolivo olive oil

Our friends at Pasolivo shared a few of their favorite ways to enjoy Pasolivo olive oil. Which one will you try first?

Explore Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo County

There’s so much to see (and taste!) when you’re visiting Paso Robles. Marisa enthusiastically shares a few suggestions, “Obviously, the iconic Vineyard Drive is a must. I would definitely recommend visiting all of the different wineries and olive oil tasting rooms. Another attraction in our area is Hearst Castle, about a 30-minute drive from Paso.”

Article by Hilary Rance. Photography by Paprika Studios.